On August 6th, rain fell across Norha Principality... or rather, across the Four Principalities.
It was a gentle, steady drizzle, its moisture slowly soaking deep into the soil.
"Rain, is it...? How unusual for midsummer."
The Duke of Norha Principality, Keith Tennick de Norha, paused with his approval stamp in hand and muttered to himself as he looked out the window.
"It is indeed unusual."
The Chancellor stopped writing as well, glancing outside in agreement.
"It would truly be a blessing if it rained regularly like this."
"Indeed, Your Grace."
Little did they know that those words were already becoming reality...
"It's raining."
"A summer rain is quite rare."
Rain was falling in Darato Principality as well.
The Duke, Gilberto de Darato, and his fiancée, Nanaria Miyu Imai, were relaxing as they gazed out at the mist-shrouded courtyard.
Just moments before, they had finally cleared away the mountainous pile of paperwork.
"Ever since Jin-dono and Maquina-dono arrived, it feels as though everything has taken a turn for the better."
"Yes....Could it be that Jin-sama made this rain fall, too?"
"Haha, surely that would be asking for too much..."
Nanaria's guess was nearly right on the mark, however...
"Rain! It's raining!"
A farmer in Jagus Principality looked up at the sky from his fields and shouted.
His face beamed with pure joy.
"If we can get even a bit of rain right now, we can expect a much better harvest from the vegetables we're growing!"
Spread across the fields were natsuri squash and cucumbers.
They were crops bred to withstand dry heat, but with a moderate amount of moisture, an even greater yield could be hoped for....Or so it should have been...
The farmers did not yet realize that gourd crops struggled to set fruit without pollen-carrying bees and hoverflies...
"It's raining."
"It is indeed."
At Rekode in the southern reaches of Mimaka Principality, rain was also falling on the World Security Guard garrison stationed there.
"I've been posted here for quite some time, but it's rare to see this much rain in the summer..."
Gajue Tsuga, vice-captain of the World Security Guard's Mimaka Principality Garrison, muttered to no one in particular.
"You're right about that."
The one who answered his idle thought was Secretary Wal Naat. Ten years younger than Tsuga, he was an exceptionally capable man.
"It seems it's raining in Jagus Principality as well... or rather, across the entirety of the Four Principalities."
"Oho."
"That was in the report from our scheduled transmission," Wal Naat added.
"If the precipitation increases, the climate might begin to shift as well."
Gajue Tsuga hailed from Fusou Island to the east.
He was also familiar with the climate of Mitsuho, which lay further south than Fusou Island.
"It's fine here since we're close to the sea, but the inland dryness is dreadful. If the humidity rises a bit more, the vegetation will likely flourish."
Having received an education in Avalon, he had studied the relationships between climate and plant life, as well as vegetation and living ecosystems.
"The scarcity of wildlife is partly due to the harsh environment, after all."
If the vegetation flourished, insects would multiply, leading to a rise in the small animals that fed on them, which in turn would sustain larger predators... Tsuga pictured the natural progression in his mind.
"Though that's likely a development decades away."
The enrichment of the flora and fauna was still a long way off.
"So it's turned to rain."
Jin D, stationed in Norha Principality, was also watching the rainfall.
"...Still, if this is possible, I feel like installing water pipes won't even be necessary."
The one operating Jin D was Laojun.
In other words, Laojun was muttering to itself.
'That is only in hindsight, of course...'
While it couldn't help but think back to how things might have gone if they had surveyed the soil, discovered the 'Master' cores, and analyzed them sooner, what was done was done.
'It should still prove useful as foundational infrastructure.'
It seemed the development plans would require some minor adjustments, Laojun concluded, setting to work reorganizing the project schedule.
"Rain? In the middle of summer?"
Rain was falling in Jagus, the royal capital of Jagus Principality, as well.
The Duke, Niestol Kirillo Jagus, looked up at the gray sky, muttering in bewilderment.
"Well, it's far better than suffering a drought, but..."
I should consult the magi-brain about this, he thought.
And Jin, who was still on Onogoro Island, was watching the rainfall through a magi-monitor.
"Oh, to think it could bring rain this quickly."
Not even half a day had passed since Testa had accepted the request.
"Most likely, it's warming the sea surface to generate vast amounts of water vapor while creating an updraft, then guiding the resulting clouds toward the target area using something like a barrier projector... I imagine."
He could grasp the general principle. However, the scale was colossal. Far too colossal.
"I still have a long way to go before I reach the level of the Progenitors..."
Realizing he had found another goal to strive toward, Jin steeled his resolve.
"Jin-shama, what will you do now?"
Asked by Marikka, who was accompanying him, Jin offered an answer along with a question of his own.
"I'm heading back to Hourai Island for now. What about you, Marikka?"
"In that case, I shall accompany you."
"Yeah, sounds good."
With that decided, Jin and Marikka temporarily returned to Hourai Island.
"Now then, I need to revise our development plans for the Principality..."
"Ah, if it's regarding agriculture, how about consulting Rolona-san?"
Rolona of the All-Creation Clan.
She was Sion's mother and filled a role akin to the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry for the Nord Federation.
"Maybe I'll pay her a visit soon."
That way, he might gain insights from a fresh perspective, Jin thought with quiet anticipation.